Description

These Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars combine the best of both worlds – a golden-baked cookie base topped with irresistible dollops of chocolate-studded cookie dough. With their perfect balance of textures – crisp edges, tender middle, and pockets of melty chocolate – these bars elevate the classic chocolate chip cookie experience into something truly special. Perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, or satisfying late-night cravings!

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided (1½ cups for dough, ½ cup for topping)

Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal later.
Cream the Good Stuff: In a large bowl, use a stand mixer (or hand mixer) to cream together the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look pale and increase in volume.
Eggs & Vanilla Magic: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Dry Meets Wet: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to your butter-sugar mixture, stirring just until no flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.
Chocolate Chip Love: Gently fold in 1½ cups of the chocolate chips (and nuts, if using) with a rubber spatula.
First Layer Bake: Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes – edges should be set, but center still soft.
Top It Off: While the bottom layer bakes, stir the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips into the leftover cookie dough. After the first bake, dollop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the hot baked layer, then gently press to fill in gaps. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if desired.
Final Bake & Cool: Return the pan to the oven for 12–15 minutes more, until golden brown around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Remove and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Serve & Enjoy: Once completely cooled, lift the slab out using the parchment overhang. Cut into 24 bars and serve.

Notes

For clean cuts, refrigerate the cooled bars for 30 minutes before slicing.
The key to perfect texture is slightly underbaking – the bars will continue to set as they cool.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
For added richness, try using high-quality chocolate chips or a mix of semisweet and dark chocolate.

These bars can be prepared a day ahead – the flavors actually improve overnight!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 275
Sugar: 24g
Sodium: 120mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 37g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 35mg

Keywords: chocolate chip cookie bars, gooey cookie bars, cookie dough dessert, chocolate chip dessert, cookie bar recipe, easy dessert bars